Ashtanga Yoga

in the tradition of Shri K. Pattabhi JoisWellington, New Zealand

 Anyone can practice. Young man can practice. Old man can practice. Very old man can practice. Man who is sick, he can practice. Man who doesn’t have strength can practice. Except lazy people; lazy people can’t practice yoga.

— Shri K. Pattabhi Jois

Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic style of yoga that links a sequence of postures in a continuous flow with the rhythm of the breath.

Ashtanga is proven to be safe, highly effective and transformational. It is one of the most popular and well-practiced yoga systems with a large international community of students and experienced teachers.

Throughout the practice a deep internal heat is created that energizes, purifies, and strengthens the entire energetic and physical system. A calm focussed mind, light, strong and soft body rapidly develop, providing the optimal conditions for experiencing the self beyond the mind and body.

'Ashtanga' means 'eight limbs' and this corresponds to the eight sections of the teaching, also known as Patanjali or Raja Yoga. The first four sections focus on ‘external’ experience and include social and personal ethics, physical posture, and breathing. The next four sections focus on ‘internal’ experience and meditation.

Personalised more effective learning by the Mysore method

Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson Sharath

The traditional method of learning the Ashtanga practice is quite unique and is commonly referred to as the ‘Mysore’ method, taking its name from the city where Shri K. Pattabhi Jois dedicated his life to teaching.

In a Mysore class students of all different levels, including beginners, practice together according to their needs and at their own pace. The teacher works with students individually. For beginners this means being gradually introduced to the practice in a way that makes it accessible, while still offering enough of a challenge for it to be stimulating and engaging.

How the Mysore method can benefit you:

Empowering – you very quickly develop autonomy and have your ‘own’ yoga practice which you can enjoy anywhere and anytime you wish.

Raised self-awareness – during the practice your focus is with yourself; your body and your breath, rather than on a teacher giving instructions. Your self-awareness quickly expands, naturally cultivating an internal focus and meditative experience.

Individualised – the teacher works with you individually, prescribing a practice to suit your changing needs. The Mysore class offers a supportive environment where you can practice according to your condition on any given day, more or less, fast or slow. This enables the therapeutic qualities of yoga to be more readily realised, and makes the practice accessible to a wide variety of people.

The Ashtanga Yoga lineage in the tradition of Shri K. Pattabhi Jois is taught by his grandson Sharath and daughter Saraswati at the Shri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) in Mysore, South India. Please visit the KPJAYI website for more information.